What do you use for stair skirt boards?

Stair skirt board material should be ½” to ¾” MDF, hardwood, or softwood. MDF and softwood are ideal for painting, while hardwood can be finished to match hardwood stair treads. Other pressed board, such as plywood, also works when the veneer is used on the exposed edge.

How wide should board be for stair skirt?

You must make sure to select a piece of material that is long enough to cover the total run of the staircase. The width should be at least 9-1/2-inches wide. A second consideration is the thickness of the skirt board. Thickness is a variable that is based on aesthetical purposes and not for structural stability.

Do I need a skirt board on stairs?

1 Answer. You don’t have to install skirt boards. Just like you don’t have to install any molding in your house. and then if you have baseboards already they look much better than when they meet a stair skirt.

What to use to fill gaps in stairs?

Run a heavy bead of the silicone along the gap to fill it, and then use a wet fingertip to smooth it out if necessary. It’s the fastest way to fill minor gaps, and if you’re not happy with the way it looks, you can always install molding over it.

What wood is used for skirt boards?

As many of you know, you can get skirting boards in a variety of materials and this can alter the look and feel of the finished product. There are many wood types such as softwood (Pine in this example) & hardwoods such as Oak. However, MDF is the most popular choice for making skirting boards today.

What is the trim on the side of stairs called?

1 Answer. If it’s structural (the tread/risers are supported by it), it’s called a stringer. If it’s not structural, it’s called skirting (or simply a skirt). The riser is the vertical surface of the stair.

What goes first riser or tread?

Some contractors prefer installing the riser first, then installing the tread against the riser, fastening the riser to back edge of the tread with screws (Diagram A). Others prefer to place the tread first and place the riser on top of the tread, for additional support (Diagram B).

Where do you put a skirt board on a stair?

Scribing a Skirtboard to an Existing Stair. Typically, skirtboards are sandwiched between the stair stringer and the wall, and are installed before the treads and risers that abut them.

What’s the best way to SCRIB a skirt?

Start on the first riser line and cut every riser on the plumb line, working up the flight. Next, cut the treads on the level lines, starting at the top and working your way down. Remove the triangular piece as you go. Use a coping saw or jig saw to cut out the nosings.

Can You scribe a skirting board to the wall?

This means putting it in place without actually fixing it to the wall. If you find that there are no gaps between the floor and the bottom of the skirting, you’re good to go! You can continue to fix the skirting to the wall. If you see gaps, you’ll need to scribe the boards.

What’s the best way to cut skirt boards?

It’s time to start cutting. Start on the first riser line and cut every riser on the plumb line, working up the flight. Next, cut the treads on the level lines, starting at the top and working your way down. Remove the triangular piece as you go. Use a coping saw or jig saw to cut out the nosings.

What do you use for stair skirt boards?

Stair skirt board material should be ½” to ¾” MDF, hardwood, or softwood. MDF and softwood are ideal for painting, while hardwood can be finished to match hardwood stair treads. Other pressed board, such as plywood, also works when the veneer is used on the exposed edge.

Is a stair skirt necessary?

Stair skirts are not always necessary. However, they do offer a more finished look for stairs and create a higher-end appearance. In the end, stair skirts are an aesthetic feature, and any way that you choose to include them (or not) in your home is a personal choice.

What to use to fill gaps in stairs?

Run a heavy bead of the silicone along the gap to fill it, and then use a wet fingertip to smooth it out if necessary. It’s the fastest way to fill minor gaps, and if you’re not happy with the way it looks, you can always install molding over it.

What type of wood is used for stairs?

Pine: Southern Yellow Pine is the most common material used to make stairs because of its strength and cost.

What kind of wood do you use for stairs?

Because of these characteristics, poplar is commonly used in painted or carpeted stairs. It is the lease expensive of the hardwoods. Hardwoods: Oak, Cherry, and Maple are the most popular types of hardwoods. When stairs are made out of these materials, they are considered “finish grade”.

How do you put skirt boards on stairs?

The next step is transferring the angle of the stairs to the skirts for cutting and fitting the skirt boards in place. Using your tape measure, measure every other riser down the stairs. Do this by measuring the distance from the top of one stair tread to the top of the next stair tread.

What’s the best way to SCRIB a skirt?

Start on the first riser line and cut every riser on the plumb line, working up the flight. Next, cut the treads on the level lines, starting at the top and working your way down. Remove the triangular piece as you go. Use a coping saw or jig saw to cut out the nosings.

What’s the best way to measure a skirt board?

Hook your tape measure on the nail at the top of the stairs and measure the diagonal line down to the floor at the bottom of the stairs to the floor. Be sure to keep the tape exactly at the line for an exact measurement.

Where to place scribe stick on wood steps?

Set a scrap piece of one-by-12 board against the bottom three steps, touching the floor. Place the side of the scribe stick, nearest the brad, against the lowest tread, blunt edge on the floor, brad touching the skirt board.